Medicine for the Soul

Forget the psychiatrist's couch and awkward conversations; the newest trend in emotional rehabilitation doesn't even own furniture…or speak. Highland Canine Training (800 Elizabeth Ln., Matthews, 704-500-6810, www.highlandcanine.com) and MetroPaws (2029 S. Tryon St., 704-574-1577, www.metro-paws.com) offer therapy training classes, where pets learn to walk in crowds, obey commands, and accept petting from strangers. Whether placed with an unruly child who needs to learn responsibility or a grandmother who feels alone in the nursing home, animals including cats and horses are being trained to improve the quality of life in humans. Certified dogs are even being sent to Iraq, where soldiers affected by the turmoil of war find consolation with "man's best friend" by their sides.